The Dallas Mavericks' offseason has been underway ever since they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Play-In Tournament last month, and until Dallas won the NBA Draft Lottery two weeks ago and the right to draft Cooper Flagg, the excitement from fans about the team was low.
Most fans doubted Nico Harrison's ability to bounce back from his treacherous Luka Doncic trade, and they feared that he could make more questionable moves this offseason if Patrick Dumont didn't fire him. While it doesn't sound like Dumont is going to fire Harrison, some recent intel does give fans a great look into the types of moves the Mavericks want to make this summer to round out the roster around Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Flagg.
It has been clear for weeks that the Mavs are looking for a starting point guard to replace Irving until he returns from his ACL tear, specifically a good ball handler and playmaker, and one of the first players linked to Dallas in trade rumors was revealed on Memorial Day. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are eyeing a trade (subscription required) for Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday.
Mavericks' road to trading for Jrue Holiday will be a major challenge
Mavericks fans have speculated about the team adding Holiday for weeks, as his defense, underrated playmaking, 3-point shooting, and leadership would make him an outstanding fit, but as Stein notes, getting Holiday to Dallas would be easier said than done.
"League sources say Dallas is expected to at least explore whether there are any feasible trade pathways to Boston's Jrue Holiday — complicated as that would likely be given the three years and $104 million still left on Holiday's contract," Stein wrote.
The Mavericks would have to give up multiple high-level role players, and likely some draft capital, to get Holiday to Dallas, and considering they will already be over the second apron after signing Flagg, their finances would become even more of a problem if they were to trade for Holiday.
Even though Holiday's defense and toughness would fit Harrison's vision perfectly, they'd be in a tough situation considering that he is nearly 35 years old and is making $104 million over the next three years. The Mavericks would be getting much older rather than younger if they trade for Holiday, and while he'd fill a major hole that they need to address, Dallas needs to be extremely careful when considering a trade for him.
Mavericks fans know better than anyone how finances can complicate a season, as the Caleb Martin trade caused them not to be able to sign a player to a standard contract until the end of the season, and the second apron can be an extremely difficult area to navigate. A trade for Holiday would make escaping the second apron a nightmare for Dallas unless they explored a salary-shedding move beforehand, and while it would look good on the outside, the long-term consequences can't be overlooked.
If the Mavericks were able to find a way to pull off a trade for Holiday, though, he seems like the ideal player who would thrive in Jason Kidd's system on both ends of the floor. On one end, Holiday provides airtight perimeter defense on opposing ball handlers in the biggest moments, making him a dream fit next to Irving once he returns. On offense, he is known for his 3-point shooting, ability to run the offense when needed, and being an excellent connector, and these all fit what the Mavericks are trying to do as well.
Regardless of what decision Harrison makes when it comes to trying to make a deal with the Celtics for Holiday, he is an intriguing trade target nonetheless, and fans should keep tabs on him as the offseason heats up over the next month or so. Whoever the Mavs decide to replace Irving with until he is healthy again could make or break the season, and all eyes will be on Dallas if they make a trade this summer, considering the awful fallout that came along with the Doncic trade.